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Rep. Levin Talks Budget with Local Organizations

Apr 13, 2017

Rep. Levin made several stops this week to highlight the real-world impact of President Trump's funding cuts in his proposed budget blueprint.

Rep. Levin toured the Clinton River Corridor Project with representatives from the City of Sterling Heights, City of Utica, and the Clinton River Watershed Council. This $4.5 million project, along with 760 other restoration projects in Michigan, are funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). The GLRI was launched in 2010 to accelerate efforts to protect and restore the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater source in the world. Federal state and local agencies use GLRI resources to strategically target the biggest threats to the Great Lakes ecosystem. The President's budget eliminates GLRI funding completely, putting projects like the the Clinton River Corridor Project and others that focus on clean water, environmental protection, and habitat restoration in jeopardy.

Rep. Levin also met with local participants of MI Works! worker training programs. The Michigan Works! Association is dedicated to retraining workers and assisting Michigan residents in finding gainful employment. Established in 1987, MI Works! was the first unified workforce development system in the U.S., serving veterans, displaced workers, seniors, and many others. Under the president's proposed budget, hundreds of job seekers would lose access to the vital assistance helpful to re-entering the workforce. MI Works! serving Macomb and St. Clair County would stand to lose approximately $2.4 million in funding under the President's budget. This would leave hundreds of out of work adults, students, and seniors without the support or assistance needed to rejoin the workforce. For more information on MI Works! programs, you can visit: www.michiganworks.org

Rep. Levin also met with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to discuss the impact of the president's proposed budget on domestic violence organizations, like Turning Point in Macomb County. Turning Point provides emergency support and prevention services to help victims of domestic and sexual violence regain control of their lives. Annually, Turning Point answers 12,000 crisis calls, provides support to an estimated 3,000 individuals, and provides prevention education to 6,000 youth.

Turning Point receives up to 65 percent of its annual budget from federal funding. As a result, the President's budget blueprint, which calls for a $15.1 billion cut from the Department of Health and Human Services and a $1.8 billion cut from the Department of Justice, could lead to an overall 25 percent cut in services to local domestic violence and sexual assault victims. For 24 hour crisis and support you can contact Turning Point in Macomb County at (586) 463-6990 and Haven in Oakland County at (248) 334-1274.

Rep. Levin: Keep Asian carp out of Great Lakes
This week, the Detroit News published Rep. Levin's op-ed which reaffirmed the importance of funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI), which in part helps keep Asian carp out of the Great Lakes. You can read the full op-ed here.

House Majority Dismantles Internet Privacy Rule
Rep. Levin recently voted in opposition to S.J.Res.34, a resolution to eliminate a commonsense rule finalized by the Federal Communications Commission that protected consumer data. Before its elimination, the rule would have prevented internet service providers (ISPs) from selling customers' personal information without their consent. The rule also required ISPs to take reasonable measures to protect customers' data.

Rep. Levin voted against striking the rule, but it passed the House and was signed into law by President Trump. As a result, ISPs will be able to sell users' personal internet history, such as browsing history and this action by the Republican Majority marks a rollback in consumer protection that was put in place to safeguard important and sensitive personal data.

Rep. Levin Stands up for Federal Health Programs
In the face of a draconian health cuts proposed by President Trump in his recent budget, Rep. Levin has called for robust support for the many federal health programs that are crucial to the people of Michigan. He joined with his colleagues in writing to the House Appropriations Committee requesting a multibillion dollar funding increase at the National Institutes of Health, as well as continued support for Community Health Centers, the National Health Service Corps, and Title X family planning services. These programs are essential to the health and wellbeing of Michiganders and people across the country.